Virginia Estate Planning and Probate legal questions and top-rated attorney answers

Virginia Estate Planning & Probate questions and answers

• How do I force a sibling to sell a house?

  Asked in Chesterfield, VA | March 9, 2026

  Mother passed away 4 years ago and left no will. Sister is the executor of the estate, but has done nothing. Conflict has risen over the house, which my brother and sister (and her two daughters) live in. Sister is constantly posting on social media, badmouthing siblings, and trying to get other people to move in. Looking to force the sale of the house.

  Answered by 1 attorney

  

• Why do you need to go through probate and qualify as an executor for a will?

  Asked in Chesterfield, VA | March 9, 2026

  Does an executor of a will trump beneficiaries of a bank account?

  Answered by 1 attorney

  

• What is involved with obtaining guardianship and what is the average cost? Can someone get free help for this?

  Asked in Williamsburg, VA | March 24, 2026

  I live in Fort Worth, Texas, and I'm trying to help my brother and sister-in-law in Williamsburg, Virginia. My brother has dementia and is no longer able to make decisions. My SIL is bed-bound. She is working with an attorney who is telling her that she needs to name a guardian, that it has to go through the court, and it will cost $7,500. They can't afford this. They have a live-in caregiver whom they want to have guardianship of both of them. Does $7,500 seem reasonable, even if they could afford it? How can they obtain free or at least low-cost assistance? They also need help drafting basic wills.

  Answered by 1 attorney